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Like a Hurricane
"}} "Like a Hurricane" is the eighth episode of Miami Vice's fourth season. It premiered on November 20, 1987, and was rerun on April 8, 1988. The episode features the arrival of singer Caitlin Davies (Sheena Easton), who becomes Crockett's second wife. Summary Crockett is assigned to protect a witness in a payola case, and ends up falling in love. Plot At a bar, band manager Tommy Lowe is meeting with Caitlin Davies, a singer whose career has seen better days. Lowe assures her he has all the promoters in his back pocket and will pay stations to get his artists' music on the air. He introduces her to Benny Rose, a VP in advertising & special events, who is given a wad of cash by Lowe to play a song by his newest group. After Rose says the song should make the top 10, Lowe gives him a sports car to move the song up to top 5 "with a bullet". Just then, the U.S. Racketeering Strike Force moves in and arrests Lowe; as they lead him away Caitlin tells the "mealy-mouthed two-faced bastard", "this one's for all the others you've screwed." Castillo pulls Crockett off an arms investigation so he can guard Caitlin until she testifies at Lowe's trial, because he "blends in with the music crowd". Crockett is annoyed, thinking this is all a publicity stunt, but agrees to the assignment. Crockett goes to Caitlin's place, met first by her assistant Angie, and then by her. She doubts Crockett's abilities as much as he disparages her celebrity, and they exchange uncomplimentary barbs. Meanwhile, Lowe argues with his lawyer Ralph Fisher, who he wants to call in whatever markers he has with the record company. In particular, he needs executives Paul Fremont and Gordon Wiggins to put the lid on his "problem" and save his reputation. Crockett takes Caitlin to a recording studio, all the while continuing to snap at each other. Fremont & Wiggins listen to Lowe's "next big thing," a band called Moon and the Blowguns, and toss the cassette through the sun roof in disgust. They talk to Fisher about Lowe's request for another $75,000 in legal fees. Fisher lets them know, in no uncertain terms, that Lowe will not do time, regardless of their interests. Wiggins wants Lowe silenced before he can name names and cause the Payola subcommittee to be reconvened. Caitlin & Crockett continue going at it during her recording session; meanwhile, Rose is bowling with Lowe, who learns and is angered that Fremont & Wiggins refuse to help him unless he agrees to take the fall. Rose suggests that Lowe convince Caitlin not to testify; Lowe ushers Rose out when three shady-looking men show up. He pays them to make Caitlin disappear, specifying that he wants it to look like an accident. Caitlin wants to go to dinner by way of Crockett's boat; at dinner Caitlin gives him a hard time about his clothes and cars and his job. Crockett, fed up, lets her know that he doesn't own anything he drives or wears -- it's all provided to him by the department to keep up his undercover role; he's a working stiff who is sick of celebrities "crying the blues over their lonely lives." Caitlin, insulted, says she isn't like the image given off by magazines and TV, and leaves when Crockett coldly asks if she'll hide her face when she goes to testify. Crockett is paying the bill when the men that Lowe hired arrive and start shooting. Crockett shoots one of them and pulls Caitlin into the boat, with the other two in pursuit. Crockett kills another but the third gets away, and Crockett's SCARAB is shot up and disabled. Caitlin is unhurt, but shaken, and tells Crockett the case she's involved in is much deeper than a normal payola scandal. Lowe was the "hot manager" when her band started out and they put their faith in him, until he got greedy and stole everything, slowly breaking the band apart -- her drummer killed himself and her guitarist joined a cult, but her bass player (and former boyfriend) Will sued, and ended up dead by suicide--or so it seemed. Caitlin knows that Lowe had Will murdered, but can't prove it, and her testimony is payback, not ''publicity. Crockett and Caitlin realize they were wrong about each other, and spend a night of passion in the back of Crockett's disabled boat. The Coast Guard tows in the SCARAB, and Crockett fills in Tubbs and Castillo, who has had Caitlin brought to the safehouse under heavy guard. Tubbs notices Caitlin & Crockett kissing passionately and calls Crockett out on his actions, informing him that Castillo is also concerned. Crockett reminds Tubbs that Castillo told him not to let Caitlin out of his sight. Later Crockett explains his situation (his job, divorce, son, all-night cases with nefarious characters) to Caitlin, who says she works all night sometimes, and asks to meet Billy, as she isn't afraid of kids. While Caitlin performs a song with a group of kids, Lowe learns of the failed hit on the radio, then picks up a cassette of his Blowguns' single, which Fremont & Wiggins have remixed and sent for his approval. Lowe puts it in his car's cassette player and the car explodes. Crockett picks up Billy (his mom and Bob Ballard are now married) to meet Caitlin, and seems anxious about their meeting, as Crockett has never introduced Billy to anyone before. Tubbs calls Crockett about Lowe being killed and that the case is over. Caitlin doesn't want ''them to end just because his assignment does, and Crockett (after a little prodding by Caitlin) finally tells her he loves her. At OCB, Crockett tells Gina what he's about to tell the squad and Gina is coldly indifferent. Crockett announces to the team that he's marrying Caitlin, they all congratulate him and leave the room (Switek asks for Crockett's "little black book") except Tubbs, who confesses to Crockett that he's glad he's found happiness, yet worried about what will come down the line (a rather prophetic statement), Crockett explains their work schedules and her privacy will ensure his cover is kept, and Tubbs congratulates his partner. Angela is uneasy, but sees that Caitlin's in love and nothing she says will make a difference. The squad holds a send-off for Crockett; Tubbs toasts his partner and friend, and Castillo gives him a honeymoon to New Zealand, suggested by Gina, who hugs her friend (and former lover). Fremont & Wiggins talk about Lowe's "unfortunate accident", but decide not to deal with Caitlin yet. Crockett & Caitlin get married in an elaborate outside wedding. Tubbs is Crockett's best man, while Crockett's son Billy serves as the ring boy. Angie is Caitlin's maid of honor, and the ceremony is attended by all the other members of OCB. Cast *Don Johnson as Metro-Dade Detective James "Sonny" Crockett *Philip Michael Thomas as Metro-Dade Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs *Saundra Santiago as Metro-Dade Detective Gina Calabrese *Michael Talbott as Metro-Dade Detective Stan Switek *Olivia Brown as Metro-Dade Detective Trudy Joplin *Edward James Olmos as Metro-Dade Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo Guest Stars *Xander Berkeley as Tommy Lowe *Teller as Ralph Fisher *Tony Hendra as Gordon Wiggins *Toukie A. Smith as Angie *Clayton Barclay Jones as Billy Crockett *Sheena Easton as Caitlin Davies Co-Starring *Lori Creevay as Secretary *Robert D'Avanzo as Ernesto *Tony Delanova as Waiter *Bob Gerchen as Paul Fremont *Paul Johnston as Minister *Rick Marotta as Recording Engineer *Klaus Przybyla as Agent *Jared Seide as Benny Rose Notes *Jan Hammer makes a cameo playing at Crockett's wedding, the second (and final) time he appears in person on the show. *Once again, this episode features one of the leading duo becoming involved in a romantic relationship with a woman linked to the case that inevitably ends in heartbreak, a recurring plot point in the series. Yet again, it is Crockett who falls into this trap, falling for Caitlin and even marrying her. Although their relationship remains happy at the end of the episode (the point at which such trysts normally shattered), it would only be a matter of time before their marriage is brought to a devastating end, in "Deliver Us from Evil" near the end of the season. Somewhat unusually, this would be the only time in season 4 this plot device was used, whereas it cropped up frequently in other seasons. *This is the first of five appearances of Sheena Easton as Caitlin Davies (later Caitlin Davies-Crockett). She would go on to appear in the next three episodes of the show, before going away on a national (later international) concert tour. Her next (and final) physical appearance would be in the penultimate episode of the season, "Deliver Us from Evil", although she would also appear frequently in flashbacks during Crockett's transformation into Sonny Burnett at the end of season 4 and the beginning of season 5. *The episode was rushed through post-production (only 15 days between the end of filming and airing) to avoid leaks of the episode's content. *The part of Caitlin was originally to be played by Lorraine Bracco (later to be married to Edward James Olmos), but was forced to withdraw due to an illness. Easton was cast as a replacement. *When Sheena Easton first appeared on the American charts, her music had a squeaky-clean, wholesome sound to it ("When He Shines", "Morning Train" and "Modern Girl"), which is the same as it is during her Miami Vice tenure. However, in 1985 she had a song appear on Tipper Gore's list of the "Filthy Fifteen" -- "Sugar Walls" -- which led to the "Parental Advisory" stickers that still appear on CDs today. *Although the story is not finished, it will not be picked up again until "Rock and a Hard Place" three episodes later, when Fremont and Wiggins return to deal with Caitlin. *When Castillo asks Crockett if he knows Caitlin Davies, Crockett sarcastically replies that he's heard of Barbra Streisand, too. Don Johnson was dating Streisand at the time. In fact, she would later make an uncredited cameo in the episode "Badge of Dishonor", while the pair would collaborate on the song "Til I Loved You" in 1989. *Later in the episode, Crockett tells Billy that he shifts "as smooth as Danny Sullivan"; Sullivan appeared in season 2's "Florence Italy" as Danny Tepper. *In a couple of scenes, Crockett makes a point of mocking people by repeating what they say in a baby-like voice. This is somewhat odd behavior, as he has never done it before (and never does it afterwards). * Gina's initially distraught reaction to Crockett telling her of his engagement to Caitlin seems a little inappropriate -- their own relationship has been over for several years now, they have developed a strong friendship and Crockett has had several other partners in that time. Perhaps it is simply the fact Crockett is getting married that has upset her. Regardless, clearly there are some unresolved feelings between the pair. * Appropriately, Crockett wears a tie at his wedding (a bow tie), marking the fifth time he has done so on the show. He previously wore one for his divorce hearing in "Calderone's Return (Part I)", at Robbie Cann's son's baptism in "Buddies", at Angelina Madeira's funeral in "Sons and Lovers", and at Zito's funeral in "Down for the Count (Part II)". While this would technically be the last time Crockett is seen in a tie, Don Johnson would frequently wear one during his time as Sonny Burnett in seasons 4 and 5. *The scene where Crockett and Caitlin first kiss on Crockett's broken down boat bares several parallels to a similar sequence in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill -- in both cases, the hero flees a nighttime gunfight at a bar/restaurant in their cigarette boat with the female lead, only for the boat to be damaged by gunfire and eventually break down at sea, leading to a heart-to-heart between the two characters that concludes with a romantic encounter. Even the soundtrack heard in the two scenes is similar, featuring prominent acoustic guitar as the characters talk. While these similarities are almost certainly coincidental, they are remarkable enough to be of note. Goofs * When Caitlin asks Crockett if he will be following her in an unmarked car when she goes out, Crockett's pistol goes from being totally stripped (so that he can clean it) with the constituent parts lying on the table in front of him to fully assembled in far less time that he could possibly put the gun back together. He also somehow manages to put the gun back together completely silently. * When Crockett shoots the first gunman outside the restaurant, items on the table in front of him keep smashing even after Crockett has stopped firing. * Crockett's SCARAB is tied to the dock when he and Caitlin jump into it as they flee the hit at the restaurant, but it is untied and speeding away moments later without anyone ever going near the mooring ropes. * After Crockett kills the gunman on his SCARAB, we see the man's accomplice fleeing the scene in the second cigarette boat, and the sound of Crockett firing two shots is heard. However, when the camera cuts back to Crockett, he is still lying in the footwell by the boat's controls, aiming his gun towards the rear of the boat where he killed the first man. There's no way he could have fired at the escaping boat from that position, and the first man had already slipped into the water, dead. What then was he shooting at? * When Tubbs is questioning Crockett about his relationship with Caitlin after catching them kissing at the safe house, he goes from facing off to the side with his hands on his lap to suddenly facing Crockett and leaning on the wall behind him when the camera cuts. * At the start of Crockett's sendoff at OCB, a boom mic is visible in the top right corner of the screen. * The hard raised engine covers on the Scarab have been replaced with a padded cover for this episode. Production Notes *Filmed: October 20, 1987 - November 5, 1987 *Production Code: 63511 *Production Order: 76 Filming Locations *Club Nu, 245 22nd Str, Miami Beach (Opening in club with Caitlin/Lowe) *West Dixie Bowling Lanes, 15950 W.Dixie Hwy, North Miami (Lowe/Fisher bowling) *Quayside Great House, 10670 NE Quay Plaza, North Miami and 4000 Towerside Terrace at Biscayne Bay (Crockett/Caitlin dine, then begin of SCARAB chase) *Coast Guard Base, 100 MacArthur Causeway, Miami Beach (End of SCARAB chase) *Criteria Recording Studio, 1755 NE 149th St North Miami (Caitlin Recording Studio -- Don Johnson recorded his album Heartbeat at this location) *3579 Stewart Avenue, Coconut Grove (Safehouse) *Brickell Square 25th Floor, 801 Brickell Ave, Miami (Lowe/Fisher office, Fremont/Wiggins office, parking garage) *3665 Park Lane, Coconut Grove (Wedding scenes) Music *"Domination" by MC's of Rap (Caitlin meeting with Lowe, performed live at club) *"I Got You Babe" by Sheena Easton (live in recording studio) *"Rubber Love" by Moon and the Blowguns (playing in Fremont & Wiggins' car) *"Conferring with the Moon" by William Ackerman (Caitlin & Crockett talk on the SCARAB) *"When He Shines" by Sheena Easton (Caitlin & Crockett at safe house) Jan Hammer Music *"The Talk" (Crockett/Caitlin go out for dinner) *"Wedding" (Crockett/Caitlin marriage ceremony) Quotes *"Where's the dark green Plymouth Fury with the search light on top?" -- Caitlin to Crockett *"If Lowe's not going to take a fall, he's gonna name names. Whose? Mine. And who am I going to name, Paul? You. And you're gonna name everyone but the janitor on the 10th floor, then the subcommittee on payola reconvenes and we got another two years of headlines and indictments." -- Wiggins to Fremont *"You should see him! He's from the Fashion Police!"--''Caitlin describing Crockett'' *"A woman ever driven your 'Testosterone', Crockett? -- Caitlin referring to his Testarossa *"To a cop who's always had the fire, yet refuses to lose sight of what's right, loyal and unselfish. Congratulations, Sonny!" -- Castillo before giving Crockett his present *''"Do you love her?" "No, but I don't have anything to do on Sunday!" -- ''Tubbs and Crockett about the wedding Category:Season 4 episodes